2012 Season

Welcome

Dear friends,

Welcome to our 18th season of Salt Bay Chamberfest! I am so pleased that we have joined Carnegie Hall and other esteemed venues to commission the Brentano String Quartet’s new project, Fragments, which is inspired by the concept of the “unfinished.”

Taking its cue from Fragments, the theme of our 2012 Festival will be “Time Passing,” an exploration of time in music. Wide ranging, it will encompass last works, unfinished pieces, and music that contemplates the essence of time, its meaning and its passage. Late works by Brahms, Strauss, and Chausson will share programs with modern interpretations of time such as Lukas Foss’ “Time Cycle”, and Sebastian Currier’s “Static”. We will also welcome our young composer-in-residence Roger Zare, who will be writing a work just for us to be given its world premiere on Aug 24!

Many of our favorite musicians will be returning, including Burt Hara, principal clarinet of the Minnesota Orchestra, pianist Pedja Muzijevic, violinist Jonathan Crow, concertmaster of Toronto Symphony and violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama. And we give a warm welcome to some of our new musicians, including Swedish cellist Kajsa WIlliam-Olsson, American soprano Susan Narucki, and Alan Gilbert, violinist/conductor and music director of the New York Philharmonic.

I am very excited about our educational initiatives this year. “Sound Investment” is a micro-commissioning adventure involving three engaging visits to Damariscotta by our young composer Roger Zare. We have also formed a 3-way collaboration with two other local organizations, the Damariscotta River Association and the Lincoln Theatre, to produce a 2-week, one-of -a-kind “Music and Nature” camp for children! Please read more about these programs on our Education page.

August 18, 2012

Conductor Mark Mandarano, Salt Bay Chamberfest’s dynamic and popular pre-concert lecturer and program annotator, will emcee the proceedings, which will premiere 10 student compositions from the Music & Nature Camp, as well as pastoral works by Dvorak and Haydn, played by the Brentano String Quartet. Children of all ages are welcome!

Education Programs

Salt Bay Chamberfest is delighted to offer an expanded list of education programs related to the Festival. Please join us for any and all of these events.

Music & Nature Camp

August 7- 17, 2012
Five days a week, 9-4
DRA, Belvedere Road, Damariscotta

This new program for 9 to 12 year olds which we are initiating with the Damariscotta River Association and the Lincoln Theater will take place from August 6 to 17, with a concert on August 18. Nationally renowned composer and music educator Jon Deak and DRA’s Education Coordinator, Sarah Gladu, have blended the curriculum Deak has used successfully for over 15 years in the Very Young Composers project of the New York Philharmonic with the popular Camp Mummichog curriculum, which Gladu developed and has directed since 2006. By the end of the 2-week session, each camper will complete an original piece of music. On Saturday morning, August 18, the young composers and the community will hear the world-premier of their new works played by the Brentano String Quartet. To register a lucky 9-12 year old for the Music & Nature Camp at the DRA, visit the DRA Education page and download the appropriate forms. Since there are only 10 spaces, we expect the session to fill up quickly, so act now to be a part of this fine new program.

Free Family Concert

August 18, 2012
10–11:00 a.m.
Lincoln Theater, Damariscotta

Conductor Mark Mandarano, Salt Bay Chamberfest’s dynamic and popular pre-concert lecturer and program annotator, will emcee the proceedings, in which the Brentano String Quartet will premiere 10 new works by students of the Music & Nature Camp and play several pastoral works by Dvorak and others.